The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-05-08
PRAYING FOR A WIFE.
How DR.. Lyman Beecher Persuaded
Mrs jackson to Marry Him.

How DR.. Lyman Beecher Persuaded
Mrs. jackson to Marry Him.
Saints, sinners and the Beecher family
has been printed as the remark of the late
venerable DR.. Todd, of Pittsfeld, Mass.
Possibly the following anecdote of the
father, which / had from the eldest son,
peculiarities of his family. The old gentle
man had lost his second or third wife, says
the Cleveland Ptaindedter, and was re-
resolved to marry again. Hence, at
family gathering in Cincinnati he said:
My children, heretofore | have married
altogether to suit myself, but now l am
willing to marry to suit you if you can
think of any suitable and proper person
who will have me-" The children put their
heads together and concluded that certain
Mrs. jackson, who kept large boarding
house in Boston and was member of Ed
wards church, would make him a capital
wife, and it was arranged for Rev. Edward
to negotiate with Mrs. jackson. After
waiting week or so the old gentleman be-
came impatient and started to Boston, driv-
ing to Mrs. Jackson's house. calling for her
aud unfolding at once the object of his
mission. The good lady was thunderstruck,
protested that she had no idea of marrying
and couldn't think of such thing; it was
impossible To all of which the old doctor
replied that he was equally surprised. The
arrangement had been made in Cincinnati.
Edward was to prepare the way, and he had
made his arrangements to preach in And
over and Amherst and to attend the May
anniversaries, and expected, of course, to
take her with him as his wife, At this point
the good lady expressed herself as shocked
that Edward had never spoken to her on the
subject; nor would it have made any differ
on If ha hon IN
she could not and would not-not even the
venerable and celebrated DR.. Lyman
Beecher! After moments pause the doctor
said: my dear Mrs. jackson, / am sorry
you have so much feeling about it, but /
will sta, with you day or two and we will
talk this matter up" to which the lady re-
sponded that her house was full, she had no
suitable room for him, and could not enter
tain him. "Oh, never mind, then" said the
doctor, II will go round to Edwards and
come and take tea with YOU And sure
enough at tea time he was there and sat next
to Mrs. jackson at the table. 1t was one of
those large boarding houses on Beacon street
at which the lady OF the house presided as a
sort of matron, and to the tea table of which
the boarders kept coming and going for two
or three hours. Of course the old doctor
became impatient, and kept whispering to
Mrs jackson, II want to see you alonen'
81 must see you aloner Cant you see me
aloner' At length Mrs. jackson left the
table with him and they went to a room by
themselves. What then occurred God only
knows, but the story is that the good lady
protested, expressed her amaZement, and
even said, ''You must be crazy; the subject
is too serious and solemn to be thought OF
without prayer to Cod "Have you not
prayed about itF' said the doctor. Prayed
about it. No." said Mrs. Jackson; 81 have
not thought of such thing" Let us pray
was the solemn response of Beecher, and
they knelt down and prayed. OF course, the
Almighty was argued with; what good
| wife Mrs. Jackson would make him; what a
blessing it would be to her; how much good
she could do in the holy cause; what
disappointment if she did not marry him.
Then observing her to be in a melting mood,
he reached out his hand, took hold of hers,
and said "Amen." Yes, and amen it was.
The grand boarding house was broken up,
TO the surprise of al Boston, and Mrs. Jack
son became Mrs Lyman Beecher, making
him ''capital wife," indeed.